Yorkswood Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership by:
  • ensuring that information about different groups of pupils, for example middle-ability girls, is well known to all leaders
  • ensuring that the impact of actions taken by leaders is rigorously monitored
  • developing the curriculum so it encourages greater depth of reading
  • ensuring that governors have clear and up-to-date information about the progress of all pupils.
• Improve teaching, learning and assessment by:
  • further improving the teaching of reading so that all groups of pupils understand what to do to improve their reading improving the quality of reading for pupils so they read widely and more of them complete books
  • making it clear to teachers and teaching assistants the precise skills that pupils need to learn
  • ensuring that the progress of all groups of pupils in reading is closely monitored.
• Improve behaviour by:
  • improving the rates of attendance for all pupils and especially disadvantaged pupils
  • ensuring that the attendance of different groups of pupils is closely tracked so that trends and patterns can be tracked and appropriate actions taken.
• Improve overall outcomes for pupils by focusing on:
  • improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, especially in reading in key stages 1 and 2
  • improving outcomes for girls, especially in key stage 2
  • the progress of middle-ability pupils in key stages 1 and 2
  • improving the standards reached by pupils in key stage 1. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders care deeply about the school and the achievement and welfare of their pupils. Leaders are ambitious for pupils. They were disappointed by pupils’ progress in 2016. In 2017, there were some improvements, especially in writing and mathematics in key stage 2 and phonics in key stage 1.
• Leaders have put into place a range of strategies to raise achievement, including better training for staff and better planning in lessons. It is too early to say that this has had sustained and lasting impact.
• Leaders do not track the progress of all groups of pupils well enough. For example, leaders do not yet track the achievement made by middle-ability pupils or girls. Therefore, leaders do not know whether their actions are having any effect on these groups of pupils.
• Leaders have worked hard to improve the way in which additional funding is spent, including the pupil premium and the primary physical education and sport premium. The result is that disadvantaged pupils are making better progress, especially in writing and mathematics.
• This year, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are supported well by leaders. Leaders plan for their needs in a detailed and through manner. The result is that these pupils make progress and feel safe.
• Too many pupils do not attend well enough. The leadership of attendance is not systematic. Leaders do not track the attendance of groups of pupils, though they know pupils well on an individual basis. This means they find it difficult to analyse trends of absence and take appropriate actions.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. But leaders have focused too narrowly on teaching to the tests in key stage 2, which has meant that improvements in reading have been too slow.
• Senior leaders have developed a strong team-based approach to staff development. They have created a culture where staff feel valued and supported. Teachers work well together, supporting each other with shared planning and resources.
• The headteacher and his deputies have gained the commitment of their staff. There is a real sense of purpose and dedication to improving the lives of pupils and their families.
• Parents and carers who responded to Parent View were overwhelmingly supportive of the school and many spoke of how grateful they were for the work the school had done for them and their children. Parents told us how, in some cases, the school had helped their lives change for the better in significant ways.
• Leaders work well with the local authority. There is a strong and challenging partnership between the school and its local authority partners. For example, immediately on appointment, the headteacher asked the local authority to scrutinise his work. As a result, every half term, leaders work with authority officers to plan improvements.
• Leaders have also developed a strong partnership with a group of local schools, called the Unity Collaborative. This means leaders have improved, for example, the quality of their assessments and testing.
• The headteacher and his deputies have a sincere moral commitment to the school. They are open to challenge and eagerly accept advice and support. They are not over-reliant on external guidance.
• Leaders have an effective commitment to social, moral, spiritual and cultural learning. For example, pupils learn about their rights and responsibilities in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. They enjoy taking part in the school council. In assemblies, they are taught effectively about democracy and different faiths. This means that pupils have a positive and welcoming approach to different ways of living. Pupils are respectful of each other and visitors.
• Leaders have ensured that the school is a safe place. Leaders train staff well in safeguarding and make sure that staff follow the school’s policies in child protection and safeguarding.

Governance of the school

• Governors do not yet receive clear and systematic information about different groups of pupils in the school. They are not yet fully aware of how different groups of pupils have achieved in the past or are currently progressing. For example, leaders have not shared with governors how well girls are doing or how well middle-ability pupils are doing.
• Governors are not fully aware of the effectiveness of the spending of the pupil premium on all groups of pupils.
• Governors are highly committed to the welfare and achievement of pupils and families.
• Governors give the highest priority to the safety of pupils and rigorously monitor the actions leaders take to keep pupils safe.
• Governors are efficiently overseeing a complete rebuild of the school and have worked tirelessly with the local authority to provide new accommodation for the whole school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to stay safe by teaching them their rights and responsibilities and how to get help when they need it. As a result, pupils are safe and say they feel well cared for by the school.
• Pupils learn through morning assemblies and PSHE lessons how to use the internet appropriately. They learn about safe use of mobile phones. This means that they have healthy attitudes to technology. Pupils say they know how to keep themselves safe online and what to do if they are concerned.
• Leaders manage any incidents of bullying or offensive language well. Leaders’ records show that there are very few incidents of this kind and when there are, they are dealt with in a prompt and fair way. As a result, pupils say they feel happy at the school. Pupils told us they know how to treat each other with politeness and in a friendly manner.
• Leaders keep the site safe through, for example, thorough risk assessments, thorough planning and by working with parents and the local authority. Leaders are present at the start and end of the school day on the school gates and maintain a welcoming and vigilant approach.
• Leaders maintain effective record-keeping so they can keep track of and improve the support they give to pupils and families. Leaders train staff well in how to identify risks to pupils and, as a result, whenever staff are concerned, they take swift action. Records show these actions are followed up effectively.
• Leaders and governors recruit staff safely and conduct thorough and detailed checks of staff suitability prior to appointments.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is too inconsistent and this is why it requires improvement. For example, the teaching of reading has not been good enough. It is improving and inspectors saw in pupils’ workbooks where pupils have enjoyed their reading and responded well to questions that had been set.
• Teachers’ planning is not well enough informed by detailed and accurate information about some groups of pupils, for example middle-ability pupils and girls’ progress.
• Too many reading workbooks are focused on preparation for testing. This is understandable, given the poor results in recent years. Leaders know that they need to broaden and deepen pupils’ experience of reading.
• Pupils typically take care over their work. Their workbooks are well looked after and show signs of effort and commitment.
• Teachers are proud of their pupils. Teachers have a highly professional approach to their work, diligently preparing lessons. In the main, teachers successfully motivate pupils and keep them engaged and interested.
• Teachers enjoy working together. They develop ideas for pupils’ learning, sharing resources and supporting one another. There is a real sense of teamwork among the staff. There is a strong culture of professional learning. Staff are eager to know how to do an even better job for their pupils.
• Staff set homework regularly and they plan it to improve pupils’ learning. However, because staff have an incomplete picture of the progress of different pupil groups, the effectiveness of homework is limited.
• Staff make sure that pupils are offered a range of activities after school. Pupils take an active part in drama, music and art clubs. They say they look forward to, and benefit from, theatre visits, forest school and the Jaguar Challenge Business Project.
• Parents and pupils spoke of how successful teachers are at making the school a welcoming and supportive environment.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are confident and self-aware. They put effort into their work and take pride in their books. They are eager to share their writing and they want to improve it.
• Teachers work hard to make sure each child is well known to them. This means that the welfare needs of pupils are planned for diligently and thoroughly. As a result, pupils are happy and thrive at the school.
• Staff take the emotional and physical well-being of pupils seriously. As a result, pupils know how to eat healthily and how to conduct themselves with good manners in lessons and at breaktimes.
• Pupils do not bully one another. They told us how important it is to respect each other and form positive friendships.
• Pupils who find relationships difficult are nurtured by staff to develop positive attitudes to others and learn in a non-judgemental fashion how to make mistakes and learn from them.
• Pupils take care not to drop litter. Pupils do not put graffiti on the walls. Displays are respected by pupils.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Too many pupils do not attend regularly enough. This is why behaviour requires improvement.
• Staff are well aware of the scale of the challenge to improve attendance. Staff work closely with each other, the local authority and, where possible, with families. However, leaders do not systematically analyse trends in the attendance of different groups of pupils. Therefore, staff are not able to share and act on any patterns of group attendance.
• Individual pupils are well known to staff and staff talk confidently and in detail about these pupils’ difficulties and what the school is doing to overcome them. Leaders and staff work jointly with attendance services in Solihull. The local authority is a helpful and effective partner to the school. Despite this, improvements in attendance have been slow and disappointing to the school.
• Pupils’ behaviour at school is thoughtful, polite and courteous. There are very few disruptions to lessons. The rate of exclusions from the school is very low. Staff apply the behaviour for learning policy with consistency and fairness.
• Staff successfully encourage positive relationships between pupils. Staff reward pupils’ positive behaviour and attitudes well. This means that pupils who attend well value their education and learning.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils’ progress in 2016 was not good enough overall. Progress was particularly weak in reading in both key stages 1 and 2. In 2017, pupils’ progress improved in mathematics and in writing so that it was in line with that of other pupils nationally.
• Pupils currently at the school are making better progress in reading than has been the case in recent years. It is still not in line with the national average but it is improving towards it. Progress in writing and mathematics in key stage 2 continues to be in line with pupils’ starting points.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are making better progress than in previous years when it was not good enough.
• Disadvantaged pupils are making progress in line with their starting points in writing and in mathematics. Progress in reading for these pupils was well below that of other pupils last year, although, this year, it has improved.
• Middle-ability girls’ progress in reading was too slow in 2016 and 2017. Inspectors could see from pupils’ workbooks and from hearing pupils read that their reading has become more effective. Leaders know there is more to do to make improvements and they need to track these pupils’ progress much more closely.
• In key stage 1 in 2016 and 2017, pupils’ attainment was well below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. There have been considerable improvements in all these subjects this year thanks to strong subject leadership and better class teaching.
• Leaders have given a clear focus to the outcomes of most-able pupils. Inspectors could see that this is beginning to be effective with more most-able pupils rising to the challenges their teachers have set.
• Pupils’ slow progress in reading meant they were not well prepared for the next stage of their education in both 2017 and 2016. They are better prepared this year and inspectors could see, for example, pupils’ ability to read with inference in key stage 2.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders give clear direction to staff. This means that staff are ambitious and have high expectations for children. The result is that children achieve well. They arrive at the school with much lower starting points than other children of similar age. They make secure gains across nearly all areas of learning.
• Teachers plan learning well, combining structured play, modelled reading and writing and practical number work. This means that children enjoy their learning and make good progress.
• Teachers understand children’s needs well. They make accurate judgements about their abilities. Teachers work together to challenge each other and develop resources that engage and interest pupils. Children achieve well across the curriculum, whether it be in emerging writing, number work, art and drama or helping with animal welfare in the outdoor learning area.
• Children who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children make similarly good progress as other children. This is because teachers understand children’s abilities. Teachers track and monitor the effectiveness of their teaching well and make adjustments to their planning where necessary.
• Children enjoy play, they pay attention to their teachers and develop habits of politeness and courtesy. Staff manage children’s welfare and personal development successfully. Staff are well trained in health and safety, first aid and safeguarding. Staff are meticulous in planning, for example, safe outdoor learning, using online learning and practical technology.
• Leaders know that they want children to make even faster progress so they can reach a good level of attainment in all areas of learning.
• Leaders have worked hard to improve attendance. There are a few children who do not attend as well as leaders believe they should. Leaders are working with local authority agencies to support and challenge families as appropriate.
• Children are safe and secure. Safeguarding is the paramount concern of teachers and other adults working in the setting.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104077 Solihull 10042895 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 502 Appropriate authority Local authority Chair Headteacher C Cable A Tunstall Telephone number 0121 770 3144 Website Email address Under development office@yorkswood.solihull.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13 March 2014

Information about this school

• The current headteacher was appointed in September 2017.
• The school meets the Department for Education’s definition of a coasting school based on key stage 2 academic performance results in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected nationally for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school is part of an informal group of local schools that support each other. It is called the Unity Collaborative.
• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school and has a higher proportion of disadvantaged pupils than the national average for primary schools.
• The school’s website is under development.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in lessons through all three key stages. Some of these were joint observations with members of the leadership team.
• Inspectors conducted joint work scrutinies with members of the middle and senior leadership team.
• An inspector conducted a learning walk with the coordinator for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Inspectors held a range of meetings with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team and middle leadership staff.
• Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and the local authority and a parent.
• Inspectors met with pupils to discuss their learning, review their workbooks and listen to them read.
• Inspectors scrutinised the single central record, met with the designated safeguarding lead and scrutinised a range of records of recruitment, welfare plans and actions taken to keep pupils safe.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation the school produces as part of its self-evaluation and development planning, along with policies and documents made available during the inspection.
• Inspectors looked at the 14 responses to the staff questionnaire. There were 47 free-text comments and 125 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, overall. There were 45 responses to the pupil questionnaire.

Inspection team

Graham Tyrer, lead inspector Julie Bourdon-Pierre Michael Appleby Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector